Bind
Maria gazed down at the chaos below her and felt her heart swell with compassion. Someone must have gotten badly hurt, because people ran urgently towards a body in the middle of the road.
Maria changed her position a bit to see if she knew or had an acquaintance with anyone in the crowd, and then drew back in surprise as she recognized her own sister.
She pondered that identification for a while as she observed the frantic coming and going of the people. Maria wanted an answer, and also a response to the identity of the person whose shape she could discern lying on the warm pavement.
A shrill siren signaled the arrival of the emergency response crew, and the crowd quickly separated to allow them through, gesturing and directing them to the spot. Maria took a good unobstructed look for the first time and realized she looked down at her own body.
She, Maria Osirio, was the victim around whom everyone revolved.
Blood covered every inch of her and the street beneath her, and she saw that her sister, who had obviously raced to her aid, had huge splatters of red blood on her, as well.
Maria followed the crew as they carefully transported her to the gurney and then the ambulance and she pinched herself to see if she could feel the sensation. She did not.
She decided then to move back to the top of the viewing area, and within a split second distinguished that she lay on a bed in the middle of a trauma examination room. She watched a bit as doctors and nurses worked over her frantically, and she listened for a time to the medical jargon and technical language they appeared to understand.
Suddenly, without warning, she felt herself almost dissolve, then smash back into her physical body.
Tony saw the note as soon as he got home and made his way into the kitchen, intent upon grabbing a Coke to drink. His dad had taped it to the refrigerator handle, knowing Tony would go there first once he returned from the picnic at the lake he had attended with Miguel, Emily, and several friends their age.
Reaching into the chilly interior, he grabbed the cold drink and took a long, refreshing swallow as he read the message. Like his father's speech, it contained no elaboration, just a directive to get to the hospital in Campeche at once. His Abuela had been hurt.
Tony began to run.
Snatching his car keys, he made it to Campeche within ten minutes, not certain what to expect and praying out loud. He had no idea of the circumstances, or his grandmother's condition. Without his cell, he felt stranded for information. His father had taken his phone to Campeche that very morning to buy a new battery for it, and planned to return it to Tony when he got home that evening.
He would know nothing until he got to the hospital, therefore, and that terrified him also.
He slid into a parking spot and hastily made his way into the emergency area. Forced to stop at the reception desk, he made inquiries in Spanish and was directed to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) area upstairs.
The receptionist watched him leave with regret, admiring his good looks. At six feet, one inch, Tony had an athlete's body, lean and muscular. Framed by long lashes, his green eyes lit his face. His hair, brown with blond highlights, was too long, according to his Marine dad, but much admired by the ladies. He caused heads to turn.
Tony had graduated from college, from Ohio State, just two weeks before.
His grandmother had cried when he walked across the stage and took hold of the diploma he had earned.
Tony shook his head, afraid that he would get emotional. He had to think, and to assess, and to get to his abuela. She needed him now.
The first wave of cold, paralyzing fear slammed into him when the elevator doors opened and he emerged to find his Tia, cousins Lorenzo and Veronica, Ducky, and his Dad seated together in a semi circle, with Tia sobbing in broken gasps. He raced to the group, and when his aunt saw him she jumped up and grabbed him, trying to speak through spasms of tears. He held her close to him and looked at the others with a wave of panic, unsure as to what to think.
"Please, por favor, tell me- I want to see my Abuela. Donde- where is she?"
Ducky shook his head slightly and Lorenzo stood up and tugged Tony's arm. He attempted a smile, but Tony noticed that his cousin's eyes were red rimmed. "Come, sit, Primo, and let us tell you what we know."
Tony yanked his arm away and disentangled himself from his aunt, his heart pounding in sheer terror.
"No, I don't want to sit. I don't need to sit. I only want my Abuela! Quiero ver a su! Show me where she is so that I can see her!"
"Anthony, we need to tell you…." Ducky spoke carefully, trying to calm him.
Tony backed up further and started to turn, heading away from them to search for Maria.
"Son, stop-" Jethro directed, finally trusting himself to speak.
"No, I won't, Daddy, not until I see my Abuela!"
Gibbs sucked in a breath and responded sharply, knowing he had to get Tony's attention immediately. "I said stop, and that is what you had better do! Sit down in that chair right now and don't get up until I tell you that you can!"
It worked. Tony stood hesitantly, then silently obeyed, sliding into a cracked plastic seat next to his cousin Veronica and turning his full attention to his dad.
His father softened his voice and went to sit on the other side. Reaching up, he brushed back Tony's bangs softly and turned to address him. "A car hit her while she crossed the street, Tony. The guy came flying out of nowhere. She didn't have a chance to get to safety, to get herself out of the way."